Drouin heating up

[Sky04]

Even if he continues his current pace, which I don't think he will, that's still not that great for a guy who can only put up points. When you watch him the guy is obviously talented, he's got great hands, but I see him frequently taking shifts off and I think the only aspect of his game is points, and he only seems to get those when he's getting all the attention.

Again what? Drouin is the most constant offensive threat on the Lightning second only to Kucherov and even then they're fairly close in the amount of chances they create.

The biggest aspect of his game is creating offense, do you even play hockey? you talk like forwards who score just sit there and collect points like it's easy. We have one of the best two-way wingers in the league on our team, I'd give up Palat over Drouin in a heartbeat. Two-way play is nice, until nobodies scoring.

 

[howkie]

Even if he continues his current pace, which I don't think he will, that's still not that great for a guy who can only put up points. When you watch him the guy is obviously talented, he's got great hands, but I see him frequently taking shifts off and I think the only aspect of his game is points, and he only seems to get those when he's getting all the attention.

He is so bad defensivly that he plays 5 vs 6. Dude really? I have never been one of Drouins biggest fans, but that is changing fast. I wounder, is it just random luck that Flip and Boyle looks like all-stars now or is Drouin taking them to next level? I know Filppula has a a good year but he found some crazy chemistry with Drouin.

 

[MDCSL]

I've played hockey my entire life, including juniors, but thanks. I just don't like Drouin as a player and if you do, then you are entitled to your opinion, just like I am mine. I think he has all the tools and has obviously demonstrated just how good he can be, but I don't think he's ever going to be consistent. Like I've said, the guy only seems to be able to score when he's on the first line and he's getting all the attention. When kucherov and stamkos get back, he's going to be invisible just like he was at the start of this season

 

[dechire]

I've played hockey my entire life, including juniors, but thanks. I just don't like Drouin as a player and if you do, then you are entitled to your opinion, just like I am mine. I think he has all the tools and has obviously demonstrated just how good he can be, but I don't think he's ever going to be consistent. Like I've said, the guy only seems to be able to score when he's on the first line and he's getting all the attention. When kucherov and stamkos get back, he's going to be invisible just like he was at the start of this season

He's not on the first line............ His linemates are Boyle and Filppula. You really don't watch him at all do you lol. But I guess he'll be invisible again once Stamkos gets back. In mid-March. Only 3 more months of Drouin playing like a star.

 

[FDfranklin]

I've played hockey my entire life, including juniors, but thanks. I just don't like Drouin as a player and if you do, then you are entitled to your opinion, just like I am mine. I think he has all the tools and has obviously demonstrated just how good he can be, but I don't think he's ever going to be consistent. Like I've said, the guy only seems to be able to score when he's on the first line and he's getting all the attention. When kucherov and stamkos get back, he's going to be invisible just like he was at the start of this season

He was in and out of the roster at the beginning of the season from injury. He's finally healthy now.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

I've played hockey my entire life, including juniors, but thanks. I just don't like Drouin as a player and if you do, then you are entitled to your opinion, just like I am mine. I think he has all the tools and has obviously demonstrated just how good he can be, but I don't think he's ever going to be consistent. Like I've said, the guy only seems to be able to score when he's on the first line and he's getting all the attention. When kucherov and stamkos get back, he's going to be invisible just like he was at the start of this season

The start of the season was the best hockey I've ever seen him play... You should stop trying to back up your statements because you clearly don't watch very much of him. It was only after his concussion he slowed down for a bit. Now he's heating back up.

 

[MDCSL]

He's not on the first line............ His linemates are Boyle and Filppula. You really don't watch him at all do you lol. But I guess he'll be invisible again once Stamkos gets back. In mid-March. Only 3 more months of Drouin playing like a star.

He had 5 points 11 games before stamkos got injured and 15 points in 15 games after, and he's getting 20 mins a night since stamkos got hurt. I consider 20 mins/night to be first line minutes, even if you don't like his linemates. He's not going to keep up ppg production, and I think he's going to become invisible again.

 

[dechire]

He had 5 points 11 games before stamkos got injured and 15 points in 15 games after, and he's getting 20 mins a night since stamkos got hurt. I consider 20 mins/night to be first line minutes, even if you don't like his linemates. He's not going to keep up ppg production, and I think he's going to become invisible again.

Uh I love Boyle. I think he's amazing. I'll be pissed if he doesn't get re-signed. He's still not a first liner lmao. If you give your 3rd line 20 minutes because of injuries and them playing really well they don't become a 1st line. They're just a 3rd line playing 20 minutes to cover injuries and because they're hot. Sometimes Sustr plays more minutes that Hedman. He's still a #3/4D.

 

[MDCSL]

Uh I love Boyle. I think he's amazing. I'll be pissed if he doesn't get re-signed. He's still not a first liner lmao. If you give your 3rd line 20 minutes because of injuries and them playing really well they don't become a 1st line. They're just a 3rd line playing 20 minutes to cover injuries and because they're hot. Sometimes Sustr plays more minutes that Hedman. He's still a #3/4D.

Alright well semantics aside, he's getting first line minutes and I think he's just on a hot streak and is going to cool down.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Man, I hate those wingers that only rack up points...

 

[dechire]

Alright well semantics aside, he's getting first line minutes and I think he's just on a hot streak and is going to cool down.

Well of course he will. Nobody said he's going to have 75+ points this year. You're the one that said he'll struggle to even hit 50 which is something completely different. That's why everyone disagreed with you. 30 points in 48 games is not some crazy high expectation

 

[CupsOverCash]

Alright well semantics aside, he's getting first line minutes and I think he's just on a hot streak and is going to cool down.

He's going to get first line minutes when Stamkos and Kucherov come back. He will play with better players than he is now. Did you watch him in the playoffs last year? He is the real deal. Only getting better now that he's been healthy and been in the league a while now.

 

[MDCSL]

Well of course he will. Nobody said he's going to have 75+ points this year. You're the one that said he'll struggle to even hit 50 which is something completely different. That's why everyone disagreed with you. 30 points in 48 games is not some crazy high expectation

No it's not, and I see why you think he's going to hit it. I just don't think he will.

 

[MDCSL]

He's going to get first line minutes when Stamkos and Kucherov come back. He will play with better players than he is now. Did you watch him in the playoffs last year? He is the real deal. Only getting better now that he's been healthy and been in the league a while now.

I did watch him in the playoffs last year, he was incredible. But I don't think he's as good as his couple of hot streaks suggest, and I think when the lightning have the option his ice time will go down.

 

[Sky04]

I did watch him in the playoffs last year, he was incredible. But I don't think he's as good as his couple of hot streaks suggest, and I think when the lightning have the option his ice time will go down.

Why would his ice time go down again? Here let me point out his ice time when Stamkos AND Kucherov were both in the lineup:

First 9 games:
18:58
18:06
19:35
19:40
16:12 (missed a couple shifts for maintenance work)
14:05 (missed a couple shifts for maintenance)
20:36
22:05

Funny, those are higher than his last 9 games where he's been on a tear, I mean it takes a 5 second google search to know he's been getting 1st line minutes all year. Aside from his injury and coming back from it, he's been on fire.

 

[DFC]

Alright well semantics aside, he's getting first line minutes and I think he's just on a hot streak and is going to cool down.

If he keeps playing like this, it's going to be impossible not to give him minutes, regardless of whose coming back.

I agree that he's going to cool down. Because if he didn't, he'd win the Art Ross. This is some upper level stuff we're seeing right now. Nobody keeps up the kind of play he's showing us right now long-term. Not in today's NHL.

If he cools off and scores slightly under a ppg the rest of the way, I'll be happy. But even in those games (many of them, anyway) where he wasn't putting up points, he was constantly a threat. The team as a whole was struggling with its confidence, struggling to finish.

Consistency is almost always the last thing a player develops. So it's not exactly a huge red flag that Drouin has had trouble with it.

 

[The Macho King]

Don't you hate it when players only produce when you put them on the first line? GOSH. If you're not producing on 8 minutes a night, I don't want you on my team.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I hate the attitude that "players don't develop, they just are" that seems pervasive in this thread, as if Drouin isn't growing. People holding on to a lot of old viewings it seems.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Hope that my prediction of him being best from that draft can still happen

 

[DFC]

Hope that my prediction of him being best from that draft can still happen

I think the one really legit question about Drouin is his durability. The guy has an invincibility complex. It's part of what makes him so good, but he definitely puts himself in bad situations while trying to make things happen.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

Too much skill not to be a star. He could probably take shifts off his entire career and be a 70 point player, he's that good.

 

[lawrence]

anyone actually surprised? Kid was just purely the most dangerous player during their run last year. Give it another 2 years, and he will break out. Maybe even sooner.

 

[karnige]

he has a great hockey IQ. but he has a tendancy to keep his head down. like hall did when he came up. he will learn